


Where Shoulder Meets Neck

by pressdbtwnpages



Category: Jonas Brothers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-14
Updated: 2009-11-14
Packaged: 2017-10-17 18:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/pressdbtwnpages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The years-spanning tale of how Kevin, Joe, and Nick managed to become brother-boyfriends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where Shoulder Meets Neck

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://elterriblefizzy.livejournal.com/profile)[**elterriblefizzy**](http://elterriblefizzy.livejournal.com/) wanted some Kevin/Joe/Nick. We brainstormed for a bit and then I took off writing. Many thanks to her for hand-holding and encouragement, and to [](http://wordsaremyfaith.livejournal.com/profile)[**wordsaremyfaith**](http://wordsaremyfaith.livejournal.com/) for also being excited about this project and beta-ing it.

The Jonas brothers have always been close. Kevin never really thought much of it. He loves his brothers, this weird cool life they're building together.

And then Nick gets sick and everything starts to crumble. Not just the band - Mom's always got tears in her eyes and Dad's tense. And Joe. Joe has pretty much just flown off the handle. He holds it together when he's with Nick, but outside of that hospital room, when Joe can't be touching Nick, he's a whole new insane manic crazy person.

Kevin's not sure how long it's gonna be before all of Joe's fear turns to anger. It will be justified. Kevin still can't believe his parents had missed the way Nick had faded into a frail grumpy ghost. Had tried to deny Joe's insistent pleas that something was wrong.

When Nick comes home and they get back on the road, things get better. Nick's a little more subdued than he used to be, shrinking back with Kevin and letting Joe do the talking. Joe's louder, brasher, and none of them quite trust their parents like they used to.

They spend a lot of time curled together talking, hugging, a pile of limbs that belong to all of them.

It gets to the point where Kevin can't sleep without his brothers tucked in around him. He loves them so much. Much more specifically than he remembers loving them before. He loves the way Joe seeks out heat when he sleeps, the way Nick snuffles. He loves the way Nick makes Joe sing onstage and off, so that Nick can write songs that compliment his voice. He loves the way there is nothing Joe won't do for Nick. Or for Kevin, but that's selfish, and this love isn't selfish. He loves that his brothers need and want him. The way he and Joe do their hair together, Nick making fun. The way he and Nick re-tune each other's guitars.

Kevin loves his brothers so much it makes his chest ache.

*

They're all curled up haphazardly after a show, exhausted and full and barely awake, hoping to sleep on the drive to the next venue, when Joe and Nick and Kevin all lean in together, just breathing against each other's lips. It feels like an incomplete circuit, just a few centimeters before something electric happens.

Nick makes a small noise and it sounds so young. Nick is so young. And this, this is huge. Kevin is too young for this, he's certainly not going to let his baby brothers risk everything because they're scared of what Nick's body could do to them, because they're angry at their parents.

"No," Kevin exhales.

Nick jerks back into Joe, his face a snarl of hurt disguised as rage. Joe looks stung himself.

"We're not doing this," Kevin says softly, trying to keep his tone the same. His chest aches so badly. "None of us is. We can't."

"Why?" Nick's voice is venomous and condescending and Kevin knows all of Nick's rage over his diagnosis is about to rain down on him. "Because it's _wrong_?"

"No," Kevin reaches out to Nick but stops before he gets there. Nick won't be placated with a gentle touch. "Because of the band. Because we're too young. Because what if it doesn't work?"

"Because you don't want this?" Joe asks in a tiny voice.

"No. Not because I don't want this," Kevin admits.

But the damage has been done to Nick. In retrospect, Kevin probably knew that before he fell asleep that night. Certainly he knew it when he jerked awake in the cold gray light of dawn to a cold empty spot next to him and Nick and Joe tangled together a few feet away.

*

The things that change after that, Joe and Nick's Siamese Twin closeness, the press, the money, Miley Cyrus, their parents attribute it to growing up. They attribute it to Kevin maturing, and when the sentiment is spoken over dinner, the three of them choke on their food.

It gets easier, somehow. Kevin forgets that the ache in his chest hasn't always been there. Forgets that once upon a time he would have been tangled in that hug, slid into in that tackle. Forgets that Joe and Nick haven't always been JoeandNick and for a few brief shining moments they were part of KevinandJoeandNick. And when photographers call for them to throw their arms around each other and mockingly tease them to 'Pretend you like each other, boys', the pressure in Kevin's chest momentarily eases and he can feel the potential, that almost-spark between them.

*

Kevin may have lost Nick in a matter of eleven words, but he hasn't lost Joe, not entirely. Joe knows what it's like to love Nick. To need to protect him with every breath you take. Joe knows how it feels to try to protect someone who thinks he doesn't need protecting, who hates being treated like the fragile precious thing that he is to Joe and Kevin. And Kevin suspects that Joe might have an inkling of what it cost Kevin to say no, to take back an offer he meant with his whole heart while simultaneously rejecting theirs.

So Joe acts as an intermediary, sneaking back occasional reports to Kevin, bridging the distance between Nick and Kevin. It doesn't take long, six months or so, before Joe and Kevin can be friends again without hurting Nick. And, oh, Kevin misses Joe. Misses his goofy younger brother with his quick temper and easy smile. Misses the only person who ever really got him, understands his feelings about Nick and his parents and just, everything. Joe and Kevin always used to be on the same page.

Kevin knows he didn't do anything wrong, not really. That saying 'no' was the right call. But losing his brothers feels like penance and he feels like he deserves it.

*

After a year of rising stardom, first girlfriends, second girlfriends, heartache and hit songs, it starts to feel like this is the way the three of them have always been. Close, but not too close. Kevin meets Danielle and she's great, sweet and funny and fond of wearing flowers in her hair. She's everything he should want. Almost everything he does want. And mostly when he looks at her he doesn't see all of the things she isn't. Not musical or intense or goofy or moody or coy or cocky. She's Dani and she's perfect for him.

And then he'll catch Joe in a hallway, their eyes will catch and neither of them will be able to look away. Or Nick will lean in too close during a picture and all Kevin will want in the world is to pull Nick into arms and insist, "I love you, I love you, always, I love you, more than anything" into his skin.

*

Kevin proposes to Danielle because he loves her. Because she fits into his life almost like someone born into it. He can see a future with her, see her veil blowing around at their beach wedding, their white picket fence and two kids and a dog. It looks like a good life, simple and safe.

He doesn't know how to tell his brothers what he's planning to do. The moment he thinks about them in relation to his wedding his chest goes tense and sore like it hasn't in years.

It's a good summer for it. Joe's dating Camilla, Nick and Miley are doing... whatever it is that they're doing. Kevin knows he's going to break his brothers' hearts again, but maybe a little bit less this time.

He tells them before he buys a ring. Before he says anything to Dani, or Dad, or their management.

Nick and Joe come into his room, sit pressed close together and wait.

It's better to just rip the band-aid off, Kevin thinks, so he sighs and says, "I'm gonna ask Dani to marry me."

Even to his own ears he sounds unhappy, though he wants this. He does.

He's braced for the yelling. Or for them to go stone-faced and silent. He's even, just a little bit, steeled himself to be punched.

And Joe, he does the expected. Kevin watches the light flicker out of his eyes and sees him set his jaw. He knew Joe was holding out hope that some day, somehow, the three of them would find their way back to that night, and that next time, there would be no reason to say no.

But Nick, Nick's got his head tilted and he's looking at Kevin in a way he never has before. Or at least not in the last four years. He sees understanding dawn in Nick's eyes.

Nick stands, touching a hand to Joe's shoulder briefly, before coming and embracing Kevin.

"Congratulations, Kev. Love you," Nick's voice is low and raw, too raw to be anything but honest.

"I love you too, Nick," Kevin says, quiet. "More than-"

"I know." Nick squeezes his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

Kevin wants to tell him there's nothing to apologize for. That the sacrifice was his, and he shouldn't have hurt his brothers by making it. But he doesn't get the chance before Joe leaps to his feet.

"NO," he insists. "This, this isn't how we end. We're not doing this, Kevin. We're not just giving up!"

Nick steps to Kevin's side, an arm still draped over Kevin's shoulders. "We aren't ending, Joe," he says softly.

Kevin is dizzy with the conversation. With Joe so angry and Nick on his side, with Nick warm and enveloping.

Joe glares at Nick. Turns to look desperately at Kevin. "Kev, please."

"I love you, Joe. You _know_ I do."

"You have a shitty way of showing it!"

"Joe!" Nick sounds scandalized, but Joe is already storming out of the room. Nick turns to Kevin. "Maybe I should go try to explain-"

Kevin shakes his head at his little brother. "Go after him. Make sure he knows you're not going anywhere."

"But..."

Somehow, Kevin just got his little brother back. All he wants is to press a kiss to Nick's hairline in gratitude and love.

But Kevin's been sacrificing his wants for his brothers' safety and happiness for years now, a fleeting urge isn't going to be the thing that changes that.

"Go to Joe."

Kevin lost Nick in eleven words, but it only took seven to lose Joe.

*

Joe spends the rest of the summer pointedly glued to Nick's side. Kevin gets the message loud and clear. It breaks his heart, but there's nothing to be done but accept it. Maybe in six months, a year, Joe will be ready to hear his explanation and apology. Maybe it will take another four years. It sucks, but that's okay. Kevin's a patient guy.

*

The wedding's planned. The flights are booked when Joe and Nick come to him, Joe tapping tentatively at the door like Kevin might deny him admission.

"Hey guys," Kevin says nervously, perching on the edge of his bed. Nick and Joe just seem so deliberate as they come sit down on either side of him.

"Are you happy, Kevin?" Nick asks quietly, uncomfortably.

" _Really_ happy?" Joe asks sharply, and then adds, "Because if you are, that's fantastic. It really is. We love you. We want you to be happy."

"But if you aren't happy," Nick interjects, "in any way, we, ah, we're here. We _love_ you. That's never changed. I don't think it ever will."

"We're so, so sorry we've been jerks to you, Kev," Joe says, voice cracking. "You've given up so much to take care of us, and I should have known that, but. Just. It hurts. And I love you, this, us, so much."

There's no reason for the lump in Kevin's throat.

"Kevin?" Nick asks tentatively. "We're done talking. Can you, you can say something, okay?"

Kevin shakes his head and tries to clear his throat. After a moment, he succeeds, but his voice comes out torn and ragged.

"I could really use a hug."

The words are barely out of his mouth before Kevin is sandwiched between his brothers' chests. It's not a particularly comfortable or comforting hug, hard and sharp and aggressive. But Kevin's surrounded and he's not going anywhere until Nick and Joe let him.

"I'm not going anywhere," Kevin realizes. Joe squeezes him tighter.

"No?" Nick is trying to hide the hope in his voice, but none of them have ever been all that good at lying. Especially not to each other.

"No," Kevin says decisively. "I only ever stopped us because we were so young and angry and I was worried about what it would do to us."

"We know," Joe says gently, easing his grip and resting his head on Kevin's shoulder.

"You were just being a good big brother," Nick agrees.

"The best big brother," Joe affirms.

"I don't know about that, I have two pretty fantastic big brothers."

Kevin can feel Joe's grin. "Lucky you."

Kevin's suddenly exhausted. Emotionally wrung out and dreading calling Danielle, telling his parents that the wedding is off. He doesn't want to move out of his brothers' grasp. Not ever, but especially not yet.

"You guys want to take a nap with me?" He asks around a yawn.

Joe and Nick murmur assents as they manhandle Kevin into his bed and curl on either side. Nick still snuffles in his sleep, Joe still seeks out heat.

*

Kevin wakes up in a whole new world. One where Nick is sitting up, stroking Kevin's hair and watching him and Joe sleep.

"Hey," Nick breathes, a smile turning up just the corners of his mouth. He leans down to press a kiss to Kevin's forehead. The gesture is simple, chaste yet full of promised intent. "Sleep well?"

Kevin slept sandwiched between his two favorite people, two people who were (I'd make this are) in love with him, and yet he had slept the restless dream-filled sleep of nappers and dreaded waking.

"Or were you too worried about what happens next?" Nick predicts accurately.

"A little," Kevin admits.

"We'll be here every step of the way. You know that, right? We're done running away from each other, the three of us."

It's nice, being included as part of the problem, rather than the sum total of it. "You and Joe never-"

"You'd be surprised," Joe mumbles sleepily, rolling over to face Kevin. "But it's all over now. We're going to do this?"

Joe's nose is practically touching Kevin's. It would be so easy to lean forward and brush their lips together.

"Not yet," Nick says gently, swatting at Joe. "Kevin's got some things to take care of first. And then we're going to do this. The right way."

Joe makes a grumpy noise and presses his forehead to Kevin's. "No one's going anywhere now."

It's a promise and a command and a question all at once. Every fiber of Kevin's being cries out 'yes yes yesyesyes' in response.

*

Kevin's parents react to the news that he wants to break his engagement predictably. His mother looks disappointed and maybe a bit teary, but says, "If that's what you really want, honey," in a brave voice. His dad starts worrying about press and legal maneuvering, and Kevin would be hurt by his lack of regard for Kevin's feelings, but Joe and Nick are smashed on either side of him and there's not much pain that can permeate their barrier of love.

"Maybe Kevin should go away for a little while after the news breaks," Nick suggests to their father. "The three of us could rent a cabin in the mountains and lie low, recharge, maybe get some writing done."

Kevin is surprised by the suggestion, but Joe doesn't seem to be. The little weasels planned this. Kevin wants to be annoyed, but he can't be. He's too grateful. And looking forward to being entirely alone with the two boys he loves best.

*

Danielle takes the ended engagement and attendant break-up badly. Worse than Kevin thought she would. Her anger and desperation to keep him makes part of Kevin wonder just what kind of girl he came close to marrying. Obviously one excited about her wedding. He feels badly, he really does. He cares about Dani, thought he loved her, or at least liked her enough to make her happy, but he's also pretty sure he was in denial about that. She throws a vase at him and asks in a scathing voice about Zac Efron, which Kevin doesn't really understand, but, okay, she's irrationally angry, emphasis on the irrational.

As he's backing out of her doorway he tells her again that he's sorry, so, so sorry, that he really did care, and to keep the ring, honestly. Sell it, throw it in the sea, whatever she wants. He gave it to her.

Kevin realizes as says it that Danielle is the only person he's ever going to be giving a ring to. Joe and Nick, they're it. And the three of them already have rings.

*

It takes less than 24 hours for the news to break, but by then Kevin, Joe, and Nick are ensconced in a luxurious mountain home with a view of Lake Tahoe.

It shouldn't be awkward - Kevin, Joe, and Nick all finally getting what they want - but it is. It just feels painfully obvious to Kevin that they came here to hook up and somehow that's become a giant elephant in the room.

Over dinner, in between slurping bites of spaghetti and illuminated only by candlelight Joe says mid-chew, "I don't want to hook up with you guys."

Nick and Kevin both freeze.

"Joe?" Nick stammers out hesitantly.

Joe rolls his eyes, finishes chewing, and swallows.

"I mean, that's not why we're here. We're here to be together. To sleep in the same bed and so I can do this," Joe reaches out and grabs Kevin's hand. "We're not. There's no time limit on us."

Kevin squeezes Joe's hand.

*

They go to bed together, not long after Nick stops trying to smother his yawns. They brush their teeth together, put on their pajamas together, and it all reminds Kevin of every night of his childhood. That's probably not supposed to start a low burn going in his belly, but it does.

The master bed is large enough to fit the three of them comfortably. Kevin's not sure he wants room between him and his brothers, but the point becomes moot when they all squish together in the center of the bed, Joe in the middle.

They exchange sleepy goodnights and fall asleep, limbs brushing against each other.

*

There is still hesitation in their acts the next morning, when Nick sleepily brushes the hair away from Kevin's eyes, when Kevin reaches awkwardly for Joe's hand over breakfast. But it feels so good, being allowed to have this. It feels right, falling into this slow as glaciers. Kevin likes feeling the goosebumps erupt over Nick's skin when Kevin's fingertips graze the back of his neck.

It gets easier as the day wears on, wrapping an arm around Joe's waist and pulling him in close, resting his head on Nick's shoulder.

Kevin feels like he's thawing, warmth spreading gradually through him, pleasant and full of promise.

*

The next day it's even easier for Kevin to kiss Nick's temple as he steals the morning paper, to let Joe share his seat.

And when they climb the stairs to bed at the end of a lazy day, anticipation is crackling between them safe and sweet like candlelight.

They turn off the lights and crawl into bed and before Kevin has much time to worry things over, Nick takes his hand and says, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Love you," Joe echoes.

Joe and Nick and Kevin all lean in together, breathing against each other's lips. It feels like four years ago, only better, anticipation rather than fear making Kevin's stomach drop. Just a few centimeters before something electric happens Kevin breathes out "yes" and touches his lips to his brothers'.

It's not really a proper kiss, but that doesn't stop it from being incredible. The electricity Kevin predicted all those years ago is something warm and golden, not the scary burst of lightning he'd imagined. It's enough to start him shivering and not let him stop.

To his left, Nick shifts closer to him. To his right, Joe takes his hand.

"Okay?" Nick asks, gentle but scared under it, like Kevin might take this away from him now.

"So good," Kevin promises, faint tremors still wracking his skin.

Their kiss gradually ends and they settle for sleep, Kevin's arm around Nick, knuckles brushing Joe's ribs.

*

Kevin wakes to the sight of Nick and Joe kissing, aimless and easy. He thinks he should feel left out or uncomfortable, but mostly he just feels like his heart's swelling. He loves that Joe and Nick are in love with each other, and him.

Still, now that he's awake, he wants to be part of it, and runs a hand up Nick's back. Nick startles slightly, but turns to Kevin with a grin, his lips puffy from kissing.

"Hey."

"Morning," Kevin smiles back, finding Nick's to be infectious.

Joe sits up and leans over Nick to brush a morning kiss over Kevin's lips. He hasn't brushed his teeth yet, but Joe doesn't seem to care.

If Kevin could wake up like this everyday for the rest of his life, he'd be good.

*

They debate leaving the house that day. Just to go check out a casino or see a movie or something. But things still feel so new and private - not scary but sacred - that they decide against it. Besides, they don't really want people to know they're there. Not yet, anyway. Kevin's just getting used to being allowed to hold his brothers hands; he doesn't want to have to train himself out of the habit yet.

Instead, Nick takes up his guitar and Joe picks up a book and Kevin picks up the television remote until he gets bored and goes to find his brothers.

He finds Joe first, partly because he was hoping to. Joe is a little easier to distract from a book is than Nick is from a guitar. Kevin runs his fingers through Joe's hair for a few moments, until Joe makes a happy purring sound deep in his throat, closes his eyes and leans his head back to give Kevin better access. His neck is long and pale, Kevin wants to nibble on it. So he does.

After a few minutes Joe opens his eyes and grins. "That was a pleasant surprise, what's the occasion?"

Kevin shrugs. He's blushing, because the truth is, "I just missed you."

Joe beams so hard it almost hurts to look at. "Missed you too, Kev."

Joe pulls Kevin against him and hugs him hard. There's no real reason for it to remind Kevin of those years when they were brothers but only secretly friends, too worried about tiptoeing around Nick to really be there for each other the way they wanted to.

"Love you, Joe."

*

Nick finds them that way sometime later. He's got his guitar clenched in one hand when he stops in the doorway and Kevin braces himself for Nick's jealousy. It's one thing to not feel jealous yourself, but it's an entirely different thing to expect it of someone else, especially Nick.

But Nick smiles. His "Hey" of greeting doesn't seem to contain underlying anger, or anything but fondness.

"Hey," Joe turns to smile at Nick. He gestures at Kevin. "Kev got bored playing by himself."

"I knew you were working," Kevin hurries to explain, not wanting Nick to think that he prefers Joe.

Nick looks down at his feet.

"I was trying," he admits, looking embarrassed and sheepish and faintly amused. "But I can't seem to get my thoughts down on paper."

"Thoughts about us?" Joe teases.

"Yeah," Nick acknowledges, looking young and shy and like something Kevin wants to keep safe forever.

"Come here," Kevin says, not recognizing the tone of his voice with so much desire in it. "Leave the guitar."

Nick hurries forward eagerly, to stand awkwardly in front of Kevin.

Together Joe and Kevin pull Nick down to them.

The first time Kevin kisses just Nick, he's leaning against Joe and Joe has his arm around Nick's middle. It's as intense as any interaction with Nick, Nick not staying passive and pliant for long before he's kissing Kevin back eagerly, leaning forward, making little eager sounds and straining against the restraint of Joe's arm.

Eventually Joe makes a grumpy noise and Kevin pulls away, ignoring Nick's nonverbal protests.

"I think Joe's lonely," he explains gently.

Nick looks almost drugged, eyes wide and glazed, a dopey, pleased expression on his face.

"Why don't you give Joe a kiss?"

Nick turns smoothly so that his whole body is facing Joe, and takes Joe's face in his hands. Nick kisses Joe thoroughly, and Kevin feels compelled to move closer to watch.

He's leaning between them, close enough to kiss, so he does. Leans slightly forward, and seals his mouth to the sides of theirs. Kevin exhales softly and wishes that things could be like this forever.

*

Falling in love shouldn't come easy and falling in love with your brothers... It's a little like being drunk. The more you have, the more you keep drinking, and gradually you stop fearing the hangover you're going to wake up with.

But it is this easy, and it's easy for Kevin to sweep away his worries and just enjoy Nick trailing his hand across Kevin's back as he walks past. To kiss Joe quick to distract him while they play video games.

It's a good tactic, and eventually Nick cries "Cheater!" but Kevin and Joe are too distracted by then to care. A pointed glance is all it takes to get Nick to join them.

*

Kevin fakes a yawn early and convinces his brothers that they should go to bed at 9 pm.

Nick and Joe are first into bed and so by the time Kevin's done brushing his teeth, Nick has Joe pushed up against the pillows and is kissing the daylights out of him.

Kevin slides in on Joe's other side, wrapping an arm over Joe's chest and mouthing at his neck. He's never really gotten just kissing random skin before, but the sound of Joe and Nick kissing above him, the delicate skin at the crook of Joe's neck, the muffled little noises when Kevin nips at Joe, they're definitely appealing. They make him feel powerful.

Eventually, Joe and Nick stop kissing and Kevin goes to pull away as well. He can hear Nick's head hit the pillow and his soft sleep-snuffling start up almost immediately. But Joe reaches up, tangling his fingers in Kevin's hair and keeping him where he is.

Kevin sighs contentedly against Joe's skin and suckles at it sleepily. He starts to drift off half-heartedly kissing Joe, and his last conscious thought of the night is of tucking his head in against Joe's shoulder as he falls asleep.

  
*

Nick's gone when Kevin wakes up the next morning. Joe's taking up more than his fair share of the bed, and Kevin's pretty ready to be up so he gets out of bed.

He finds Nick in the kitchen pacing, his laptop open and abandoned on the dining table.

Kevin stops Nick forcibly, hands on Nick's shoulders, their foreheads pressed together. "What's the matter?"

Nick closes his eyes and slumps against Kevin. Kevin tugs him into a proper hug. He loves his brother so incredibly much.

"Dad emailed," Nick explains against Kevin's neck, between pressing real kisses into his skin. "The media storm about Danielle seems to be over. He thinks we should head home."

Kevin is stricken. He knows he's gone rigid, and Nick wraps his arms around Kevin's waist. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Starting without me?" Joe asks, sauntering into the kitchen with a trail of hickeys down the side of his neck looking all sheepish and really proud of himself.

"Joe." Kevin's voice shatters over the precious syllable.

"Kev. Nick." Joe's face goes pale and he reaches up self-consciously, covering the blood-burst marks Kevin made on him. "What happened?"

Kevin takes a few deep breaths, trying to convince himself that this isn't the end of the world so that he can convince his brothers of the same. "Dad thinks it's time to come home."

Kevin sees Joe's knees buckle and he and Nick break away simultaneously to catch him.

They scoop Joe to them in a tangled mess of love and fear and comfort. Kevin's got Joe's left elbow in one hand and Nick's right shoulder in the other. Joe's sort of pressed between them. It's not comfortable, but Kevin doesn't care. He presses a kiss to the back of Joe's head.

"It's okay," he says, because someone has to say something. "We're gonna be okay. This isn't going to change anything."

Nick presses closer to him until the three of them are a knot of heartbeats and limbs and frantic eyes.

*

Eventually they drift apart breath by breath until they're scattered across the kitchen.

"I love you," Joe says stubbornly. He's sitting at the table picking at a piece of toast. "That's not going away."

"No one expects it to," Kevin says gently. He's certainly not going to stop being in love with his brothers, couldn't even if he wanted to. "Please don't stop being in love with me."

Nick looks up sharply from where he's gazing out the kitchen window. He catches Kevin's eyes. " _Never_."

Kevin smiles at Nick and wonders if it looks as tentative as it feels.

"We're gonna make this work, guys." Joe tells them. "No one will even notice that things between us have changed."

Joe's projecting bravado and hope so hard it's painful to see.

Kevin goes to his little brother, wraps his arms around Joe's shoulders and tugs him into an awkward hug.

"You're right. We can do this."

"Kevin..." Nick sounds wary. He's being pragmatic, but that's the last thing Kevin wants, or Joe either, probably, and besides, Nick's wrong.

"Come here, Nick," Joe says imperiously.

Nick obeys, just as helpless to Joe as Kevin himself is.

Nick slots himself in on Joe's other side, wrapping one arm around Joe and the other around Kevin. He sighs contentedly.

"Tell me, Nick," Joe presses, "is this any different than a million other mornings we've spent fighting this?"

Nick shakes his head reluctantly.

Kevin sees where Joe is going. He squeezes his brother's shoulder.

"Joe's right, Nick. This has been between us for a long time. The only difference is that it doesn't hurt anymore. It feels amazing." Kevin presses a kiss to Nick's temple.

Doubt flickers to nervous hope in Nick's eyes. "You think?"

"I know," Joe pipes up confidently, standing up inside of their embrace. "I also know that we only have one more day alone like this and I'm not going to waste it."

  
A companion soundtrack can be found [here](http://pressdbtwnpages.livejournal.com/315106.html#cutid1).  



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